EU-Seychelles Fishing Quotas 2026-2030: What Changes for Tuna Fleets

Key data

EU tuna fleets operating in the Indian Ocean have a new operating framework. Regulation (EU) 2026/1933 sets out the distribution of fishing opportunities derived from the Protocol of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the EU and Seychelles for the period 2026-2030. The fleets mainly affected are the Spanish and French, which are the main beneficiaries of tropical tuna catch quotas in Seychelles exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The regulation entered into force on 13 July 2026, although its publication in the EU Official Journal took place on 11 August 2026. This means that the obligations are already enforceable from July and any operation carried out from that date must comply with the new terms.

What does this regulation establish?

The regulation implements the Protocol of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement EU-Seychelles and specifies three fundamental elements for shipowners:

• Distribution of quotas among Member States: Distributes among EU countries the fishing opportunities for tropical tuna in Seychelles EEZ. Spain and France are the main beneficiaries.
• Technical conditions and access requirements: Fleets must respect the conditions set out in the protocol to operate in Seychelles waters, including requirements on fishing gear and authorized areas.
• Fisheries sustainability: Fishing effort limits and catch reporting obligations are established to ensure the sustainability of the resource.

Economic and operational impact

For shipowners with vessels in the Indian Ocean, this regulation is the rule that determines whether they can continue operating in Seychelles waters over the next four years. Without the assigned quota and corresponding license, access to that EEZ is blocked.

The specific operational impacts are as follows:

• Access conditional on quota: Only vessels from Member States that have received allocation of fishing opportunities under this regulation can operate in Seychelles EEZ.
• Fishing effort limits: The regulation imposes caps on the effort that each fleet can exert, which limits the number of fishing days or the tonnage of catch allowed.
• Reporting obligations: Shipowners must declare their catches rigorously. Non-compliance with this obligation, even if formal, may result in sanctions or loss of license.
• Risk of license revocation: Non-compliance with any of the technical, access or reporting conditions may result in revocation of the fishing license, which means total exclusion from Seychelles EEZ.

Who does it affect?

• Spanish shipowners with tuna vessels operating in the Indian Ocean and having access to Seychelles EEZ.
• French shipowners in the same situation, given that France is the other main beneficiary fleet.
• Fishing companies from other EU Member States that may have quota allocation under this distribution.
• Fleet managers and compliance officers in fishing companies with activity in the Indian Ocean.
• Tuna industry associations that negotiate access conditions and represent shipowners before the authorities.

Practical example

A Spanish shipowner with three tuna purse seiners that regularly operate in the Indian Ocean and have historical access to Seychelles EEZ must, as of 13 July 2026, verify that his company has been assigned quota under Regulation (EU) 2026/1933 and that his vessels have a valid license in accordance with the new protocol.

If one of his vessels exceeds the assigned effort limit or does not correctly declare tropical tuna catches made in Seychelles waters, the competent authority may revoke that vessel's license. This would mean that the purse seiner could not operate in that EEZ again during the 2026-2030 period, with the consequent economic impact on the fishing campaign.

The immediate action for this shipowner is to review the quota assigned to Spain under the regulation, confirm that his vessels are included in the list of enabled licenses and activate the catch reporting systems required.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify the assigned quota: Check what volume of fishing opportunities has been assigned to Spain (or the corresponding Member State) under Regulation (EU) 2026/1933 and what part corresponds to each vessel in the fleet.
2. Review fishing licenses: Confirm that all vessels operating in Seychelles EEZ have a valid license in accordance with the new 2026-2030 protocol. Licenses from the previous period are not automatically valid.
3. Activate catch reporting systems: Ensure that catch recording and reporting procedures comply with the regulation's obligations. A formal error in the declaration may result in a sanction.
4. Monitor fishing effort: Implement internal mechanisms to track the effort exerted to avoid exceeding the limits set in the protocol before the campaign ends.
5. Consult with the national fisheries authority: In Spain, the General Secretariat for Fisheries is the competent body to clarify the specific distribution of quotas and access requirements for each vessel.

Official source

Consult full regulation on official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202601933